FAQ/Help |
Calendar |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Spinal Disorders & Back Pain For discussion of all spinal cord injuries, spinal issues, back-related pain or problems. |
Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
10-19-2013, 07:59 PM | #1 | ||
|
|||
Junior Member
|
Hi redcat. I did try hydrotherapy which I loved but the Physio said that my balance was so bad that I wasn't allowed in the water without an assistant. They wanted me to go two to three times a week at $75 a session. It simply isn't doable.
I applied to go through the public hospital system but they assessed me and refused. They said they don't take patients with chronic conditions only people requiring short term post trauma therapy. The ridiculous thing is that I have a Disability pension and Private Health Insurance but neither of these cover hydrotherapy. I am on a Chronic Health Management Plan which means I get 5 free physiotherapy sessions (in a lifetime) which I have already used. If I ask to be placed in a residential care rehab centre, I can get all the help I want at no extra charge but I love my little home, with my own bed and my two cats and a dog. It's a case of whether I'm willing to give up what makes life worth living (my pets) to improve my quality of life (possibly). The short answer is NO. I have no spouse or children but I do have elderly parents and a brother (mostly MIA). I did have a circle of friends but these have diminished over time because I no longer go out to socialise. I have one very good friend left but she has her own difficulties with family, so I don't vent to her at all. I have another not so reliable friend but she travels all over the world all the time and I'm never quite sure where she is. I think she's on a European River Cruise at the moment.....but I could be wrong! I'm very lucky compared to a lot of people. I have my own home, some savings, a steady income, a good friend and I have always been okay with my own company and I feel reasonably well. I just have to come to terms with a body that doesn't want to work. It's good you have the pool to look forward to and a husband to share with. Little things can mean a lot. |
||
Reply With Quote |
10-20-2013, 03:43 PM | #2 | |||
|
||||
Junior Member
|
Quote:
I don't want to assume just because you are Australian you can swim, but if you can you could possibly stay in the deep end. I stay almost entirely in the deep end. My body works best without all the gravity. Redcat |
|||
Reply With Quote |
10-20-2013, 06:48 PM | #3 | ||
|
|||
Junior Member
|
Hi Doc, it just didn't occur to me that "being sent to Coventry", wasn't internationally recognised. I'm glad I imparted something new. My first positive for the day.
You're comment re: cold day in hell before you trusted an Aussie, was so relevant. That's why I assumed we were debating. I loved it. I love having my flawed thinking and the way I express them criticised. I mean criticism...in a good way, in a learning way, in a self improvement way. We don't always see ourselves as others see us and sometimes society is just too polite to set us straight. (and sometimes not so polite ) I also have the added problem of having a degree of Autism (proven by chromosome analysis) and need feedback from others to determine if my thinking, behaviour and reactions are within societies norm. That is part of the reason I wanted some reassurance (or not) from the Psychiatrist that my reactions and emotions were normal and justified. I was a bit shocked to find that I had skipped anger, in the process. I'm still trying to process that emotion, not sure I'm doing it right. I'm trying to hold onto it so I can resolve it but it keeps seeping through my fingers and leaving nothing but despair. I feel anger is a positive emotion and despair is lack of emotion. I'm pretty sure I'm wrong but I'm willing to learn the truth. You are very articulate Doc. Do you work in education? Journalism? I used to be a research assistant in the healthcare setting. I never did anything brilliant, just the hard slog of data gathering and cross referencing within given parameters. Others would set the task and I would do the practicalities including consenting participants for research studies etc. I enjoyed it even if it was a tad undemanding and at times, boring. I rarely saw the results of the research. The data etc was sent off to some University or other to interpret and I would have moved on to something else. It involved a lot of walking and delving into files in rooms full of archived material. Ahh, I can smell the dust, age and mould as I type. I can't believe I used to love "Lost in Space". What was the robots name again? I remember he was always saying "warning, warning, warning". I need someone like that in my life. Do you have a thread Doc? I feel I'm at a disadvantage. I understand you have pain and disability and have had the medical run around but I don't know if you have given your history elsewhere on here. Maybe you have kept that private and I shouldn't be asking. Nice to chat. Bye. |
||
Reply With Quote |
10-20-2013, 07:28 PM | #4 | ||
|
|||
Junior Member
|
Hi redcat. I hope you're doing well today.
I hadn't thought about asking for a volunteer in the pool. That's not a bad idea. Thanks. Last time I went I was still able to get out of the pool by myself with some help but now that my legs don't do what I want them to, I may need a hoist or something to help me out. (I'm not thin......understatement). I didn't notice if the pool had that kind of equipment but bearing in mind it is for hydrotherapy I'm sure it must have that kind of equipment somewhere. My two cats and a dog are my reason for living. They are the reason I struggle out of bed every morning, they are the reason I worked hard at physio so I could come home from hospital. I used to have two dogs and one cat but my little girl (Teeny Dog) got sick two weeks before her 13th birthday. She got sick one day and was euthanised the next. Very quick and thankfully not painful. It turned out she caught a virus off fruit bat saliva from half chewed date palm fruits. She got progressive paralysis until her breathing was starting to be affected and so I pulled the plug. (Sounds a lot easier than it was, it was 20 months ago and I still miss her every day). A few months later my father gave me a little kitten from the local Council rescue pound. She had had a hard life until then and now I promise her a good home for life. So now I have Gidget (11 year old Kelpie), Betty (10 year old domestic cat) and my new girl, Baby Boots. They all get on well together except when the cats try to pinch the dogs bed. Gidgets basket is her territory and it's a brave cat that tries to lie in it. Both cats like to play "catch the dogs tail" although Gidget isn't as keen. I find it very entertaining. Redcat, have you listened to any Toni Child's music? I find it touches my soul. Now for the challenge of vacuuming from my wheelchair....love it |
||
Reply With Quote |
"Thanks for this!" says: | St George 2013 (11-06-2013) |
10-22-2013, 06:11 PM | #5 | |||
|
||||
Junior Member
|
Quote:
I sent you a p. m., I will look up Toni Child's music. Redcat |
|||
Reply With Quote |
10-21-2013, 03:47 AM | #6 | ||||
|
|||||
Senior Member (**Dr Smith is named after a character from Lost in Space, not a medical doctor)
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
You can be the first kid on your block to purchase one (full-size replica) of your very own for only USD $24,500! http://www.lostinspacerobot.com/index.html (No affiliation—I just came across this site while looking for a clip of him on YouTube) Doc
__________________
Dr. Zachary Smith Oh, the pain... THE PAIN... Dr. Smith is NOT a medical doctor. He was a character from LOST IN SPACE. All opinions expressed are my own. For medical advice/opinion, consult your doctor. |
||||
Reply With Quote |
10-21-2013, 06:34 AM | #7 | ||
|
|||
Junior Member
|
Hi Doc. I'm on a Forum for people with bone marrow diseases as well and one of the Forum members is a small town newspaper publisher/editor and dogsbody. He once wrote a sentence I just could not decipher and as he was usually very easy to understand, I assumed he was using publishing jargon.
I quoted the sentence back to him and apologised for my ignorance because I didn't understand. He was embarrassed because he had unwittingly inserted an advertisement for a sewing machine attachment he had been checking out for his wife. It's a bit late here and my antispasmodic is kicking in so I'll get to the point before I become incoherent. I have a part of chromosome 15 q missing. It's actually called del 15q11.2 and there are break point references as well. There are something like 500kbs of genes missing. This specific chromosome deletion is associated with autism, aspergers and schizophrenia. Some people with this deletion are either not affected or mildly affected and some are profoundly disabled. They have not been able to determine why it affects some more than others. I have applied for and been accepted into a research study being conducted by Associate Professor Brett Abrahams (geneticist) at Yeshida (sp) University in New York. I'm still dithering at the moment though because I need to persuade one of my friends to provide a saliva sample for DNA and to undertake Brain Game testing (Lumosity). This is because they need people without the deletion for comparison/reference points. I don't really have anyone who is willing to participate. To Dr Abrahams credit, he invited me to participate anyway because I have the exact gene break points that's he's studying. I really must stop procrastinating and sign the consent form and send it back. Anyway, I have always been socially inept and communicate better in writing than verbally. I quite often can't think of the word that fits a certain situation at the time I need it. I tend to be blunt even though I'm not trying to be rude. I can read people's emotions and I can read facial expressions. I do feel sympathy and empathy although I find it hard to express it. I don't like physical contact very much and I have to work very hard to do the "let's have a group hug" thing. I always worked better by myself than in a team. Those touchy freely, group therapy team building weekends used to freak me out. I never once in my entire working life attended a social function that was work related. No Christmas parties, no baby showers, no retirement parties etc. on my last day at work when I retired, I didn't tell any one I was leaving and at the end of the day I just popped my work mug in my handbag and walked out and never went back. I had been in the same job for the previous 26 years. I was once referred to a Neuroscience Clinic for assessment to determine a specific diagnosis but when I hadn't heard from the clinic for 6 months, I rang them and found out that they had decided not to accept the referral. Consequently, I have never been assessed. I have just added my chromosomal abnormality to what little insight into my own personality that I have and came up with mild Autism or Aspergers. I don't think that my life will change with an official diagnosis but if participating in this research study reveals something useful for others it will be worthwhile. Doc, I hear you when you say that you feel as if you are not quite as sharp due to meds and damage. My cognition is definitely deteriorating. I have done a couple of IQ tests in the last few years and my IQ is definitely declining. Really, have to sleep now. One very beneficial side effect of antispasmodics is the sedative effect. G'night. |
||
Reply With Quote |
10-21-2013, 12:03 PM | #8 | |||
|
||||
Senior Member (**Dr Smith is named after a character from Lost in Space, not a medical doctor)
|
'Dogsbody,' eh? Oh, this is going to be FUN!
It's the new hit game show that's not just sweeping the NATION—it's sweeping the GLOBE!I used to communicate much better in writing than I do now, but I've always communicated better verbally. Quote:
At least when I'm composing/writing something I can stop and bring up a... dang, what's another word for 'thesaurus'? Quote:
Haven't slept in two nights myself. Pain in my neck has kept me up, and I ran out of amitriptyline (low dose for sleping with chronic pain); it's due any day... Doc
__________________
Dr. Zachary Smith Oh, the pain... THE PAIN... Dr. Smith is NOT a medical doctor. He was a character from LOST IN SPACE. All opinions expressed are my own. For medical advice/opinion, consult your doctor. |
|||
Reply With Quote |
10-21-2013, 11:33 PM | #9 | ||
|
|||
Junior Member
|
Oh boy, MENSA!
I was no where near that to start with let alone now. I have just returned from my physio session. The physio is adamant I need hip and back surgery. He said that even if I don't gain any extra mobility from the surgeries, I will have less pain. Now to convince the surgeons Doc, I know I shouldn't but I have a sense of satisfaction about what happened to the Department I used to work in. When I worked there I was always amazed at the amount of effort everyone put in, to avoid doing any work. Even my Manager. They really were incredibly lazy and unproductive. I was happy enough to go to work and do whatever needed doing, I figure if I'm being paid to do a job I may as well give it my best shot. There is nothing to lose by being conscientious. In fact it's quite fulfilling. Within 6 months of my retirement my old Department was disbanded. No one retained their jobs. I keep telling myself I should feel sorry for them having to look for new jobs in this economic environment but I can't help being a horrible person and quietly rejoicing. For years I did the day to day slog and my Manager took the credit. I didn't really mind at the time because I have never been ambitious. I just wanted a secure job that was mostly satisfying. I never once asked for my name to be referenced on the research documents. My Managers name was all over everything. I have had one lucky life. Born in a great country in a stable family. Grew up with boundaries and values and principles. I worked in a job I didn't hate. I bought a house at the bottom of the market and sold at the top. I'm financially secure without being rich. If only my body would co operate, I would have it all. Hope you get some sleep Doc. |
||
Reply With Quote |
10-22-2013, 05:32 PM | #10 | |||
|
||||
Senior Member (**Dr Smith is named after a character from Lost in Space, not a medical doctor)
|
Quote:
Doc
__________________
Dr. Zachary Smith Oh, the pain... THE PAIN... Dr. Smith is NOT a medical doctor. He was a character from LOST IN SPACE. All opinions expressed are my own. For medical advice/opinion, consult your doctor. |
|||
Reply With Quote |
Reply |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
How did your MS start? | Multiple Sclerosis | |||
where should one start? | Trigeminal Neuralgia | |||
About to start PT! | The Stumble Inn | |||
I wonder if I can start # 242 ... | Survivors of Suicide | |||
Let Me Start Over | Peripheral Neuropathy |